Notifications & Circulars
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
21.02.2019
Media and Communication
Annual Report of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India for the year 2017-2018
MANU/TRAI/0014/2019
The Annual Report of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India for the year 2017-18 detailing activities of the Authority, certified accounts and the audit report thereupon has been laid on the Table of Rajya Sabha on 21st December 2018 and the Lok Sabha on 2nd January 2019.
2. The Annual Report of TRAI also details the policies and programmes, review of general environment in the telecom sector and broadcasting sector, review of working and operation of TRAI, functions of TRAI in respect of matters specified in Section 11 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 and its organizational matters including financial performance.
3. A copy of the Annual Report of TRAI for the year 2017-18 has been placed on Website of TRAI for information of the general public.
4. In case of any further clarification, the following officer may be contacted: Shri Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Advisor (Admn.) at 011-23236119, email id: advadmn@trai.gov.in
Tags : Annual Report TRAI Accounts Audit report
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Press Information Bureau
20.02.2019
Civil
Government Drives Big Bang Reforms in Oil and Gas Sector
MANU/PIBU/0363/2019
Decision incorporates recommendations made by Committee on Enhancing Domestic Oil and Gas Exploration
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the Policy framework on reforms in exploration and licensing sector for enhancing domestic exploration and production of oil and gas.
The Cabinet decision was based on the recommendations of a High-powered Committee on Enhancing Domestic Oil and Gas Exploration chaired by Vice-Chairman NITI Aayog and including the Cabinet Secretary, CEO, NITI Aayog, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs and CMD, ONGC. The decision signals a paradigm shift in the core goal of the Government, moving from revenue-maximisation to production-maximisation, with focus on exploration. This will incentivise increased investment and production.
In Category I basins where potential is established and production is taking place, to give boost to further exploration in unexplored areas of these basins, the weightage of revenue sharing has been reduced from 50% to 30%. Also, in order to ensure that revenue sharing does not disincentivise higher production, the maximum revenue sharing has been capped at 50%.
In the less prospective Category II and Category III basins, revenue sharing has been totally dispensed with and allotment of basins would be solely based on the exploration work programme. On successful discovery, the production and full revenue will accrue to the operator, with Government asking for no share. This is apart from marketing and pricing freedom, which has been assured in all basins. Only in case there is windfall gain, and annual revenue exceeds USD 2.5 billion, government will take a share of additional revenue.
The Committee recommendations had focussed on liberalising exploration and production regime, enhancing production from existing producing fields of NOCs and simplifying the approval processes, all of which has been accepted by the cabinet.
The cabinet decision also gives complete marketing and pricing freedom to oil and gas production. In gas, it is also extended this to those fields whose first Field Development Plan (FDP) is yet to be approved. It also gives concession in the royalties in case the oil fields are brought to production earlier.
The production enhancement scheme for nomination field of National Oil Companies (NOCs) is likely to augment production by leveraging new technology, capital and management practices through private sector participation. The NOCs will be held accountable for enhancing production through objective assessment of performance.
The cabinet also decided to give 66 fields of NOCs to private operators for increasing the production. NOCs will get share in the increased production apart from getting what what was being produced by them.
Through this policy, a transparent, investor friendly and competitive policy framework is envisaged to accelerate exploration activities and provide impetus to expeditious production of oil and gas.
Integrating the recommendations of NITI Aayog, the cabinet decision focuses on enhancing exploration & production activities, which would have massive macro-economic benefits in terms of development of support services, employment generation, transfer of advanced technology etc.
Continuing reforms in the oil and gas sector includes further simplification of approval processes, with measures to be initiated for promoting ease of doing business through setting up coordination mechanism and simplification of approval of DGH, alternate dispute resolution mechanism etc.
Tags : Reforms Oil sector Approval
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Press Information Bureau
20.02.2019
Commercial
DPIIT launches second edition of States' ranking on Startup initiatives
MANU/PIBU/0364/2019
After the successful first edition of States' Startup Ranking in 2018, where 27 States and 3 Union Territories participated, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) today released second edition of Startup Ranking for 2019.
The Startup Ranking framework aims to rank the States/UTs for establishing a robust ecosystem for supporting Startups. The framework also encourages States and UTs to identify, learn and replicate good practices from each other.
The Ranking Framework 2019 comprises of 7 pillars and 30 action points. The pillars will assess States'/UTs efforts across institutional support, simplifying regulations, easing public procurement, incubation support, seed funding support, venture funding support and awareness and outreach related activities. The ranking exercise aims to evaluate measures taken by States/UTs during the assessment period from May 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.
DPIIT has prepared the framework after several rounds of consultation with State and UT Governments. The framework has evolved distinctly as compared to last year with major emphasis on collecting feedback from Startups and other important stakeholders from the Startup ecosystem. The States/UTs are to submit their reforms on the State Startup Ranking dashboard hosted on www.startupindia.gov.in.
DPIIT also proposes to recognise States and UTs for their exemplary performance in seven pillars of the ranking framework. As part of the Ranking 2019 exercise, DPIIT will recognize innovative Startup programs and initiatives from State/UT Governments.
The launch of the ranking framework in 2018 galvanized the States/UTs into action, thereby giving impetus to the Startup movement across the country. Till date, 25 States and UTs have launched their dedicated Startup policies to incentivize Startups in their jurisdiction. The Startup Ranking 2019 is expected to take forward the Startup ecosystem in the country and give impetus to the vision of India becoming a Startup Nation.
Tags : DPIIT Launch Startup initiatives
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Press Information Bureau
20.02.2019
Environment
MoU between Environment Ministry and University of British Columbia on forestry science
MANU/PIBU/0361/2019
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today between Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada for next 10 years in New Delhi. Both the institutions shall explore opportunities for future collaborations in the field of forestry science through their respective organizations namely Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Wildlife Institute of India, Forest Survey of India, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy and Directorate of Forest Education, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
The MoU will help in exchange of students, researchers and faculty, developing research projects, livelihood opportunities and augment income of the forest based communities and also assist the industries to optimize the utilization of forest based resources with access of technology to different stakeholders by the respective organizations.
The main areas of collaboration listed in the Memorandum of Understating are:
Collaborative research on wood sciences, forest resource management, adaptation and mitigation to climate change, forest genetics and breeding, wildlife, ecology, remote sensing, insect and disease pests, extension, conservation of flora and fauna, biotechnology, bio-energy, bio-economy, etc
Exchange of students/researchers, faculty members and post-doctoral fellows through internship and other scholarship opportunities
Capacity building on data collection and analysis of Permanent observational sample plots under forest inventory for growth, stand structure, biodiversity and climate change parameters
Training and exposure on developing suitable protocols for Linkage of Remote Sensing and field inventory data
Arranging joint conferences, seminar, workshops and exhibitions
The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among one of the best universities in the world. Its entrepreneurial perspective encourages students, staff and faculty to challenge convention, lead discovery and explore new ways of learning.
Tags : MoU Forestry science Research projects Developments
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Press Information Bureau
19.02.2019
Civil
Cabinet approves Agreement on Proposed Participation of India in PISA
MANU/PIBU/0337/2019
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given ex-post facto approval to the Agreement between India and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for participating in the Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA), which will be conducted by the OECD in 2021. The Agreement was signed on 28th January 2019.
Benefits:
Learnings from participation in PISA will help to introduce competency-based examination reforms in the school system and help move away from rote learning. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will be part of the process and activities leading to the actual test.
Salient features:
PISA is a competency-based assessment which unlike content-based assessment, measures the extent to which students have acquired key competencies that are essential for full participation in modern societies. It would lead to recognition and acceptability of Indian students and prepare them for the global economy in the 21st century. The CBSE and the NCERT will be part of the process and activities leading to the actual test. Schools run by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and schools in the Union Territory of Chandigarh will participate. More than 80 countries, including 44 middle-income countries including Brazil, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam have participated in PISA.
Tags : Approval Agreement Participation PISA
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Press Information Bureau
19.02.2019
Civil
Cabinet approves agreement on simplification of visa requirements for travel of certain categories of citizens between India and South Africa
MANU/PIBU/0338/2019
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the signing of Agreement between India and South Africa on simplification of visa requirements for travels of certain categories of citizens.
The Agreement aims to facilitate issuance of multiple entry visa to nationals of the two countries who wish to travel to the territory of the other country for tourism, medical, business and official purpose. Such visas are normally required to be issue for a period of up to five years within a specified time limit of five days. In cases where further scrutiny is required both sides may inform the application accordingly.
Tags : Agreement Approval Simplification Visa requirements
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Press Information Bureau
19.02.2019
Civil
Panic Button becomes available to women with launch of ERSS and pan-India Emergency number 112
MANU/PIBU/0350/2019
Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) and Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal also launched Rs. 78.86 crores announced to strengthen DNA analysis capacities of four State Forensic Science laboratories for speedy investigation of rape cases.
The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh and Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi here today jointly launched the Women Safety initiative of Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) in 16 States/UTs and Mumbai city. People in these states and UTs can now call a single pan India number 112 for any emergency. In addition, Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) and Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal were also launched. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Rajnath Singh said launch of ERSS is a "milestone in women safety in the country."
The 16 States/UTs where the ERSS has been launched today are Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, UP, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, J&K.
Home Minister, welcoming the joint effort of Ministries of WCD and MHA in preparation and launch of these women safety initiatives, called on the States for effective implementation of these initiatives to make them a success. He cited various initiatives of MHA towards improving women safety after creation of Women Safety Division in MHA.
Highlighting the importance of ERSS, he said that very soon it will be implemented across the whole country. One can dial 112 or use Panic Button on their phones or 112 India Mobile App to connect to a single emergency services number 112 which will combine Police, Fire, Health and other helplines through an Emergency Response Centre in the State. He also congratulated the agencies and volunteers for their contribution in making it a successful campaign of enhancing the ecosystem of women safety in the country.
Union Home Minister also announced approval of Rs. 78.76 crore for a special project under the Nirbhaya Fund for strengthening DNA analysis capacities in the State Forensic Science Laboratories of four States of Tamil Nadu (Chennai and Madurai), Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow and Agra), West Bengal (Kolkata) and Maharashtra (Mumbai). He said that this effort will help in speedy investigation of rape cases.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Menaka Sanjay Gandhi appreciated the support of Home Ministry in preparing these women safety projects. She thanked Shri Rajnath Singh for sanctioning funds to strengthen six Forensic Science Laboratories for quick investigation in rape cases and sought provision of investigation kits at every police station in the country specially at the One Stop Centres. The WCD Minister highlighted the success of the flagship programme of the Government 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao', which set the actual and initial pace for responding to violence against women from the womb stage itself.
In his address, the Union Home Secretary Shri Rajiv Gauba said that these initiatives could prove to be a "game changer" if implanted effectively by the states. He further said that time-bound disposal of cases against women is the most important component in implementing these projects.
Secretary, WCD Shri Rakesh Srivastava enumerated the various critical initiatives of WCD Ministry to create an ecosystem of complete safety for women.
ERSS had already been successfully implemented in the States of Himachal of Pradesh and Nagaland.
The emergency response system can be triggered in the following manners:-
On the smart phones, the power button (which is dedicated panic button) when pressed three times quickly.
Dialing 112 from any phone.
In case of feature phones, long press of the touch key 5 or 9.
Using 112 India Mobile App which is available for free downloading.
For women and children, 112 India App provides a special SHOUT feature which alerts registered volunteers in the vicinity of victim for immediate assistance.
Tags : Panic Button Availability Women
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